How Sharad Paward transformed Baramati from barren region to booming growth centre

Love him, hate him, but take one look at Baramati and you can't ignore him. Hence, it's no wonder that the once barren and drought-prone region, which has been transformed into a booming and flourishing industrial and agricultural growth centre, has stood by its architect, Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar all through his waxing and waning 40-year political career.

Located 120km from Pune and 285km from Mumbai, Baramati is a well-planned and green city, which recently was praised by union finance minister Arun Jaitley on his visit there. Jaitley said if India is able to develop Baramati-like 100 smart cities, then it will develop and progress in the real sense.

Jaitley is not alone in his praise of the region and Pawar. Late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi had expressed a similar feeling during his visit there in 1989. "Mr Gandhi had said he wished to develop Amethi like Baramati. There is so much in Baramati that people can learn and take beyond the political affiliation. Pawar saheb always leads with an example and Baramati is one of the best examples that people can follow by replicating this successful model in other parts of the country," said Kiran Gujar, who runs the Natraj Theater Group.

He added that Baramati has also got a rich cultural tradition. "Famous Marathi poet Moropant was born in Baramati 250 years ago. And in fact, Pawar saheb acted in two Marathi plays during his school days in Baramati to raise funds for drought relief. Another important thing is that in Baramati all industries and establishments are run on cooperative basis. Nothing in Baramati is owned, including sugar factories, by the Pawar family, except their private properties. Whatever's in Baramati is of Baramatikars alone; hence, there is so much trust and emotional connect between the people there and Pawar family," said Gujar.

It's not been a walk in the park though, transforming this city. The harsh reality is that it receives rainfall of a mere 19mm, which is woefully inadequate to meet its 1.10 lakh population's drinking water demand.

"Initially, Pawar saheb and ex-deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar worked tirelessly not only to end drinking water woes but also bring as much as dry land under irrigation. Pawar saheb is very good in vision and ideation, while Ajit is efficient in administration and execution, he works like a superfast express. He does not like to sit on files and delay development work," said 85-year-old senior journalist Bai Ransingh, who has been running Marathi weekly Ran-Singh in Baramati for the last 40 years.

He explained that the reason Pawar's development model has succeeded and been widely accepted is because the leader has interlinked agriculture and industrial sectors.

The foundation of Baramati's development was laid by Pawar's elder brother Appasaheb Pawar, who, Ransingh said, understood the importance of agri-based supplementary industry in the 1970s. "Appasaheb propagated the horticulture, animal husbandry, poultry, milk federation and cooperative sectors in the city. Pawar saheb then picked up this model and spread it across the state and India when he was the agriculture minister. Now, Ajit is giving finishing touches to the Baramati development model," he added.

Gujar said Pawar has a unique relationship with Baramati. "He may be in any part of the world, but he will always think for Baramati. Even during elections, he attends various rallies, but the Baramati rally is always special.

He speaks like he is talking to his own family members. It's things like these that make him hold a special place in our hearts," he said.

A senior party leader said, "Pawar saheb has got a memory like an elephant. He remembers names of his party workers from every town. If he calls any small party worker by name in a rally, it is a big thing for that person..."

"Saheb starts his day very early and works without a break, even at this age of 75. Ajit is following in his footsteps... He is outspoken and straightforward, but that nature does not work in politics. He has to work on controlling his anger and speaking in a measured manner. These changes will make him a more efficient and acceptable leader, and that will result in more Baramatis in Maharashtra," he added.

Earlier, in Baramati, most of the crops dependent on rain; Pawar replaced them with cash crops, such as sugarcane. He has also developed a model farm on 60 acres which was recently visited by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and state agriculture minister Eknath Khadse.

"The year 1988 was the turning point in Baramati's development, when Pawar became the CM for the second time. He revived and desilted the 125km left bank canal and 42 small check dams, which have been there since the British Rule. We are also treating the water discharged by industrial units and sewerage of Pune. That water has brought 6,500 acres of dry land under irrigation in Baramati tehsil. The city gets 1.70 lakh litres of milk daily against the 25,000 litres in 1974. We have also created our own brand — Nandan Milk. If something happens with the private milk companies, we will always have our own," Gujar explained, adding that the average annual income of a Baramati farmer is at least Rs6 lakh.

And while the education trust Vidya Pratishthan imparts education to over 25,000 students in Baramati right from KG to postgraduation, the higher education system has been made such that students passing out of engineering, polytechnic and technical colleges are immediately absorbed in the industries there.

President of Baramati Municipal Council Subhas Somani said that in 1990 their annual budget was a mere Rs5 crore. "Today, it is Rs224 crore. A majority of the shopping centres here are owned by the council, which give huge revenue to us. We have also developed wide roads with proper dividers and footpaths," he told dna, adding that they going to develop a theme park on 50 acres and name it NisargVrati.

However, there are a few farmers and leaders from Baramati who are not completely happy with the development and disagree with the rosy picture painted. "The Pawar family indulges in too much politics, even in small elections. If they claim that they have developed Baramati, then why use money and muscle power in every election? Also, only a few villages and the city have been developed, a majority still struggle to get drinking water. There is no overall and inclusive growth in Baramati," said Satish Kakade, a local politician.

"In fact, the BJP government initiated Jalyukta Shivar, which is successfully helping 40 dry villages of Baramati. Thanks to this scheme, they haven't faced drinking water shortage this year."